Bonn, Germany – 30th August, 2015 | 10.00am | The stage of the auditorium had been specially prepared for this morning’s empowerment. On the right-hand side of the stage stood a screened area containing a small altar with offerings placed in front of a thangka of Akshobhya Buddha. In this private space, the Karmapa would perform the preliminary and closing rituals of the empowerment. During the preliminaries, the chant masters led the audience in a deeply felt recitation of the mantra ‘Karmapa Khyenno’, and the steady cadence of the chanting was punctuated at intervals by the ringing of His Holiness’ ritual hand bell from behind the screen. Once the preparations were complete, His Holiness left the stage, to return a few minutes later in procession. Prostrating three times, the Karmapa then took his seat on the throne and the chant masters began the Kagyu Lineage prayer, followed by a mandala offering requesting the teachings…

Bonn, Germany – 30 August, 2015 | For his final public talk during his trip to Europe, His Holiness the Karmapa opened by expressing his hope that the audience felt satisfied with the time that they had shared together. His comment came at the end of four consecutive days of Dharma teachings, public talks, audiences and empowerments, and he pointed out that this was a longer period of time than they had enjoyed together on his previous visit. He spent a moment contemplating the title of the talk, and chose the phrase ‘without limit’ to begin his exploration of the nature of satisfaction and happiness, and the mistaken methods we often employ in pursuing them. (Without Limit serves also as the title for his tour.) “Due to technological developments and rapid material development and ongoing progress, it’s as if there are limitless choices presenting themselves to us, “he began. In spite of this it seems that most people appear n…

Bonn, Germany – 29th August, 2015 | 7pm | After a full day of teachings, His Holiness the Karmapa set aside time to meet with Tibetans living in Europe. During a special audience organized by the Association of Tibetans in Germany, the Karmapa reflected on their shared condition as refugees and offered individual blessings to all those who had traveled from across Europe to meet him. As the Karmapa explained to them, he seeks out opportunities to connect with Tibetan as well as Himalayan communities wherever he goes. “I consider this important,” he told them, “and when we are able to meet, I feel I have accomplished an important responsibility and this inspires and encourages me.” The evening began with a brief introduction to the history and activities of the association by its chairperson, Lobsang Phuntsok. He explained that among the 150 Tibetans and Himalayans in attendance, while many live in Germany, others had come from…

Bonn, Germany – 29th August, 2015 | Before bestowing the empowerment, the 17th Karmapa gave a two-part introduction to the Buddha Akshobhya, detailing the story, his importance in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and the connection between Akshobhya and the Karmapa lineage. His Holiness began by clarifying the meaning of the name Akshobhya, explaining that in Tibetan Akshobhya is known as Mitrugpa. It means someone who is undisturbed by aggression and anger, he said, someone who remains unperturbed. The translation into English as ‘immoveable’ did not accurately convey this. Later in the teaching, he explained that within the tantric tradition, a second name Migyurpa was used, and this carried the meaning ‘unmoving’ or ‘undisturbed’. According to the tradition, Akshobhya was originally a devout practitioner, a fully-ordained monk who asked the Buddha Big-Eyes which practice or quality was indispensable for the path to enlightenment. The …

Three white cranes offered a bowl of yoghurt to his mother in a dream. Birds sang. A rainbow appeared on the family tent and sounds from conch shells rippled across the valley along with those from various musical instruments. These “auspicious omens” in Lhatok of East Tibet on 26 June 1985 marked the birth of an extraordinary boy initially called “Apo Gaga” (happy brother). At the age of seven, he was recognized as Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa and the head of the powerful Karma Kagyu School, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

He eventually escaped to India through Nepal at the age of 14 in dramatic and mysterious circumstances and now at the age of 30 lives in Gyuto monastery near Dharamshala, worshipped by scores of followers all over the world.

Ever since the 16th Karmapa died in 1981, a controversy arose about who the 17th Karmapa should be. The claimants are Ogyen Dorje, Trenley Thaye Dorje (who lives near Kalingpong in West Bengal) …

Bonn, Germany – 28th August, 2015 | In the first public talk of his second visit to Europe, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa began by reiterating his hope that next time he might be able to visit more countries in Europe. He admitted to growing very fond of Germany, and joked with his audience about the sound of the German language and the German breakfast which is like lunch. On a more serious note, he commented on the lusciousness of the German countryside and rejoiced in the effort Germans put into protecting the environment at all levels. However, he felt that there was a lot more that could still be done, and this would be the main topic for his discourse. His own passion for helping the environment, he explained, stems from his early childhood experiences in Tibet. In that vast and ancient landscape, with a small population, the Tibetan people were able to fully enjoy the natural environment around them, and they regard…

Bonn, Germany – 28th August, 2015 | Morning Session | A major theme during His Holiness’ second visit to Europe is how spirituality can be integrated into our everyday lives. Yesterday, when speaking of the need to develop empathy and compassion, he used the refugee crisis in Europe as a real-life example. He developed this further this morning when he referred to two recent events: the discovery of the bodies of 71 migrants abandoned in a truck in Austria, and the hundreds of migrants feared drowned when two boats capsized off the coast of Libya. “It is not sufficient to just say, ‘Oh those poor people’, and have sympathy,” he commented. “We should give rise to genuine compassion… genuine involvement, and more action.” His Holiness acknowledged that, given our relatively comfortable existence, we often find it difficult to fully empathise with the suffering of others, but if we wish to practice genuine compassion there should be no se…

Day 1 in Bonn – Chenrezig Teachings Part 1 and Part 2 Bonn, Germany – 27th August, 2015 Just over a year since His Holiness the 17th Karmapa’s first visit to Europe, students gathered from across the continent to join him in Bonn on his second visit. The venue chosen for this year’s teachings was the Maritim Hotel’s grand theatre-like auditorium which lent itself well to the atmosphere of a second-year reunion. As Dzogchen Pönlop Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, Chime Rinpoche, Tanpai Gyaltsen Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, Lama Gyurme and other dignitaries took their seats in the front row, the ample space filled with the joyful buzz of the 1,300 people eager to hear this first teaching of the tour. The theme for this, the Karmapa’s second visit to Germany, is “Love, Compassion, Rejoicing and Equanimity: Without Limit.” Inaugurating the teaching series, the Gyalwang Karmapa offered two sessions today devoted to the practice of C…